All articles filed in Opinion

The problem with protests is that they don’t achieve anything. This is so much the case that until fairly recently I, like several people I know, believed them to be a complete waste of time. I’d watched enough news reports to know that demonstrations rarely make their way into them. And I also understood from my…

One of the most challenging, and essential, parts of growing up is learning how to take responsibility. Unlike childhood, during which we’re at the mercy of other people’s opinions, choices and behaviours, adulthood necessitates that we think, decide and act for ourselves. This vital distinction between adults and children is made clear within our legal…

One of the biggest decisions that a person can make is whether or not they will have children. When I was teenager I thought it was a given that I would, providing it was possible, have at least one child of my own. However, having spent a fair few years thinking about it I’m not…

One of the books that I’m reading at the moment is a collection of essays titled Freedom Fallacy: The Limits of Liberal Feminism, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in contemporary feminist issues. Featuring 17 short essays written by academics from across the globe, it’s the kind of book that you can dip in…

On 10 October 1980, Margaret Thatcher delivered a speech that would change the way we think about political decision-making for the foreseeable future. Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in Brighton, she uttered the words: ‘You turn if you want to, the lady’s not for turning’ – a phrase that would transform her refusal to…

During my graduation ceremony, the head of my university’s English department boldly stated in his speech that graduates live happier, healthier and more comfortable lives than those who choose not to complete higher education courses. At the time I thought, ‘What a load of tripe!’ Several years down the line I still believe this to…

During a recent walk home from work I found myself feeling incredibly excited when I stumbled upon four unused second class stamps, the bright blue packet of which stood out against the dirty grey of the pavement like a lotus flower sitting in the mud. Strangely, it was the same level of excitement that I’ve…